Val Emmich

Early life Val Matthew Emmich was born in Manalapan Township, New Jersey. He is of Italian, Russian, and German ancestry. He attended Manalapan High School where he played soccer. At age 15, he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and had to give up all strenuous activities. During this time, he learned to play the guitar and began to write songs. Musical career After graduating from Rutgers University in 2001 with a liberal arts degree, Emmich recorded an independent EP entitled The 15 Minute Relationship. He then recorded Slow Down Kid, a full length independent album produced by Wayne Dorrell. Still unsigned, Emmich recorded a video for his song, "Privacy Attracts A Crowd." The video appeared on MTV's Total Request Live, making him the first unsigned artist to appear on the show. He was then signed by Epic Records label Red Ink and recorded a new version of his Slow Down Kid album with four new songs. The video of another track from the album,"Shock", was featured at LA's Hype Fest and Toronto's NEXT Festival. In 2005, Emmich moved temporarily to Woodstock, New York and recorded another independent album, Songs, Volume 1: Woodstock which was released in 2007. The Woodstock sessions eventually became the independent studio album Sunlight Searchparty. In 2007, a track from the album "The Only One Lonely" won the best video category at the Independent Music Awards.After recording Sunlight Searchparty, Emmich left Epic Records in 2006 due to artistic differences. In 2008, Emmich signed with bluhammock Music. On May 27, 2008, he released his first single from Little Daggers entitled "Get On With It". His new album, Little Daggers was released on September 23, 2008. Musical influences Emmich has been influenced by a wide range of musicians including Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, the Beatles, Wilco, Bjork, and Radiohead. Acting career Emmich began acting in 1997 to finance his college education. He appeared in a television ad for the Got Milk? campaign as well as advertisements for Burger King and At&T Wireless. He has also appeared in small roles in the television shows Ed, Third Watch, and Hope & Faith. More recently he has appeared in NBC's 30 Rock with Tina Fey, ABC's Cashmere Mafia with Lucy Liu and starting in the fall of 2008, will become the new love interest of Betty Suarez on Ugly Betty. In the summer of 2008, he shot his first film, playing the lead role in the independent feature Fighting Fish. Personal life Emmich lives in Hoboken with his wife Jill Marissa Gelade, an elementary school teacher. Discography The Fifteen Minute Relationship (2002) Slow Down Kid (2003) Slow Down Kid (Epic) (2004) Sunlight Searchparty (2006) Songs, Volume 1: Woodstock (2007) Little Daggers (2008)